Special prosecutor opens ballot review at Olympic Park handball arena
Jang urges thorough verification reflecting party's demands
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok called Wednesday for a rigorous public verification of June 3 local election ballots, urging that "the demands we have put forward be properly reflected so that observers' right to observe is fully guaranteed and a thorough verification is carried out."
Jang visited the Olympic Park handball arena in Seoul, where the National Election Commission special prosecutor team was conducting the public ballot verification. "It has been 145 days since citizens gathered at Olympic Park to call for the protection of their right to vote, and 147 days since the June 3 local elections — and today, Wednesday, the recount begins," he said.
Speaking through a megaphone, Jang thanked "the citizens who stood guard at Olympic Park without a single moment's interruption" and said the process "must be carried out thoroughly so that not a single doubt remains about the concerns the public holds."
Jang presented the special prosecutor team with five demands: live broadcasts by at least two television networks; guaranteed visual inspection by observers with investigators' consent; designation of a dedicated official to receive and handle objections raised by observers; establishment of an on-site confirmation and follow-up system; and minimization of police deployment.
"This is not for any political faction — it is about conveying what the people are asking for," Jang said. "I delivered to the special prosecutor the issues the public has asked to be clarified."
He added: "This is a historic day. There was a violation of voting rights that should never have occurred in South Korea's constitutional history, but through the power of citizens, we passed a special prosecutor bill that seemed impossible. I sincerely hope that this 'people's special prosecutor,' created by the people, will embrace the people's aspirations through the people's verification they have been calling for."
The party leadership also stressed the fairness of the public verification and the guarantee of observers' rights. Supreme Council member Shin Dong-wook said: "Today, the special prosecutor's historic recount finally takes place — but this must never be the end. Today's fair and proper recount by the special prosecutor must be the first step toward restoring South Korea to normalcy."
Supreme Council member Kim Min-su said, "Today, countless citizens are joining the ballot-counting process to protect their right to vote," and asked the special prosecutor to "treat these citizens not as spectators, but as civilian cooperators in the investigation."
After his remarks, Jang joined attendees in chanting slogans calling for a new election over alleged fraud and a manual recount on election day. He described the citizens' sustained demands at Olympic Park as "a desperate appeal that struck each and every one of us in the heart."
Those present included Jang, Supreme Council members Shin Dong-wook and Kim Min-su, Secretary-General Jeong Hui-yong, Party Leader Chief of Staff Park Jun-tae, Chief Spokesperson Choi Bo-yun, lawmaker Kang Myeong-gu, who leads the People Power Party's side on the National Assembly's Administration and Security Committee, and lawmaker Lee Jin-suk. The PPP leadership attended as official observers of the verification process.
mp1256@heraldcorp.com
